Strawberry Jam Recipe – Strawberry Recipes

Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam Recipe with step by step photos using just three ingredients without any preservatives or pectin. This jam is full of flavor and comes together in just 30 mins without much stirring which I like the best. Strawberries are in season now and the market is flooded with them. So make some strawberry jam and store for the coming months and I’m sure your kids will love you for it.

I usually macerate the strawberries which I strongly believe brings out the best flavor of the fruit and helps the jam to come together very easily and quickly.

Maceration is a process which is just like marination, in which the fruits are softened or broken up by steeping them in a liquid for few hours of time or overnight. This process not only increases the flavor but also enables the jam to come together quickly as the fruits are softened considerably over the time.

I would strongly advise against the idea of making this strawberry jam in bulk quantities as the flavor gets lost when you make it like that. Always make in small batches and store in clean, dry jars which stays good upto 8-10 months when stored in a refrigerator.

Here I did not macerate the strawberries in any liquid but just added sugar to the fruit to bring out the syrup and the flavor in them.

So far I have made 2 batches, where in the first time I chopped the fruits and macerated for just 4 hours stirring them every ½ hour to quicken the process. While making the jam too I did not use a masher to mash the strawberries as I wanted the jam to be pulpy and more like a marmalade.

The next time, I did not cut the strawberries at all and let it macerate for a day in the fridge. The next day I let it thaw and used a masher to mash the pulp well while cooking to make it look more like store bought jam.

The choice is absolutely yours on how you want your strawberry jam to look and feel like. Here I have given the process of the first batch that I made which looks pulpy.

Both were equally good and easily spreadable on the bread slices and tasted absolutely delicious unlike the chemical ridden store bought jams.

Do give this ruby red strawberry jam a try and I’m sure you all will agree that homemade jam is hands down the best jam that you had tasted so far.

Strawberry jam recipe with step wise photos:

Wash and hull the strawberries. Hulling is cutting using a sharp knife in a circular motion around the green leafy top of the strawberry and into the pale flesh directly below it. Remove the hull and discard. I have cut the bigger berries into quarters and halved the smaller ones. Place the chopped strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle sugar over it and mix.

Keep mixing for every ½ hour for 4-5 hours and at the end of the time, the sugar would have completely dissolved and berries will be swimming in the syrup and they would have softened. Transfer the berries along with the syrup to a thick bottomed pan. Before you begin to cook place a steel or ceramic plate in the freezer which we will use to check the consistency of the jam later. Cook the fruit pulp over medium for 5-7 mins and letting it boil.

Add lemon juice and let it cook over low flame and keep mashing the pulp gently as it cooks. It will reduce in volume and after 12-15 mins the jam must have come together giving it a glossy look.

Take the chilled plate out and place a drop of the jam on the plate. Let it be for 30 seconds. Run your finger through the middle drawing a line. If the line stays put your jam is ready. Switch off and let it cool completely, else cook for a few more minutes till you get the right consistency. Your Strawberry Jam is ready to be used. Cool completely before storing in a clean,dry jar and always remember to use a clean, dry spoon while using it.

Hi Radhika, I made the strawberry jam with 200 gm strawberry I had at home for my grand niece who is about to visit me. The colour and texture is very good as is the taste. You have mentioned that it will stay good for 10 months in fridge- do I have to freeze it or refrigerate? I plan to make more of this. Thank you for the lovely recipe without preservatives.